Four Decades of Technology Transfer, Trade and Intellectual Property

Five pillars sustain the vision of Pedro Roffe. The approach to innovation and development promotion by Pedro Roffe builds upon a number of basic and important understandings. First, the key role that intellectual property plays as tool to promote innovation. Second, the centrality of transfer of technology to address technological access and innovation challenges in developing countries. Third, the need of balance between intellectual property protection and the public interest, and the need to factor in the interests of consumers, right holders, and competitors. Fourth, the positive nexus between competition and intellectual property policies. Fifth, the existence of an international architecture of intellectual property, consisting of multilateral, plurilateral and bilateral intellectual property and trade agreements, and the relevance of national implementation and flexibility. In this chapter, we focus on the transfer of technology and the interplay between intellectual property and trade.